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A free presentation explaining Indiana’s expungement law will be offered Jan. 20 at Ivy Tech Community College in Fort Wayne.
The event, along with resources for legal assistance, is being provided by the Second Chance Initiative, a partnership of the Fort Wayne Volunteer Center, the Volunteer Lawyer Program and Indiana Legal Services.
“A criminal record is one of the largest obstacles to better housing, employment, and education,” Volunteer Center Executive Director Ani Etter said in a statement. “The Second Chance Initiative provides an option for low to moderate income individuals to have a chance at a better future.”
Indiana law allows for the expungement or sealing of certain low-level convictions, misdemeanors and arrest records from an offender’s criminal record.
Expungements in Indiana are permitted for those whose arrest, criminal charge or juvenile delinquency allegation either did not result in a conviction or juvenile adjudication or whose conviction or adjudication was vacated on appeal.
A person who had been convicted of a misdemeanor or a Level 6 felony that was reduced to a misdemeanor is also eligible to file for an expungement.
However, the law also establishes specific waiting periods before an individual can file for an expungement.
These waiting periods vary by the type of conviction. For example, a person whose arrest or charge was dismissed can file for an expungement one year from the date of arrest. But a person who was convicted of a misdemeanor must wait five years from their conviction date and five years from the conviction of any crime before filing for an expungement.
Next month’s event will be held at Ivy Tech’s North Campus Tech Center Building.
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